The IG Filmkultur and all signatories of the open letter demand that the Federal Minister for EU, Arts, Culture and Media Gernot Blümel appoint qualified experts for innovative film to the advisory board for film funding in the Federal Chancellery and to observe gender parity:

Sign the petition here

Open letter:

Dear Minister Blümel,

We urge you to reconsider the new appointment of the advisory board members of Department II/3 - Film of the BKA and thus continue the success story of this film funding.

Federal Chancellery film funding for innovative films in Austria has been a veritable model of success for many decades. With modest financial resources, artistic world successes are continuously achieved in experimental, documentary, short and feature films. These films are celebrated and awarded at the most important film festivals and in the world's most renowned cinematheques and exhibition venues due to their diversity and artistic relevance, thus making a significant contribution to Austria's international reputation as a country of culture and film.

Many of the most important names on the Austrian film scene and their greatest successes are inextricably linked to the film funding provided by the Federal Chancellery. This funding body has been a reliable partner for decades, both for established, internationally renowned Austrian filmmakers and for up-and-coming Austrian filmmakers. The basis for this is the respect for and trust in the good work of the Federal Chancellery's film funding, which not least the various governments of recent decades have shown this funding model for good reason.

Our successes have not come about automatically; they are the result of many years of far-sighted cooperation between highly qualified officials and advisory board members. As a rule, the advisory board is made up of people who are familiar with the requirements and international importance of innovative Austrian filmmaking from personal experience and expertise. In addition, a careful composition of the advisory board ensures that a wide range of expertise is covered and that there is a balanced gender ratio.

With the recent appointment of new advisory board members to Department II/3 - Film of the BKA, we do not believe that the balance and quality of the decisions are currently guaranteed.In Oliver Auspitz and Alexander Glehr, two producers have been appointed to the advisory board who specialize in the production of TV films and major feature films respectively, but have no professional connection to innovative film. Hannes Fretzer is an actor in TV productions and does not have the necessary experience as a director for this advisory board role.The appointments to the festival advisory board are no different: the biographies of Serge Falck and Peter Hofbauer lack any expertise in the field of film festivals.

The above-mentioned persons lack the specific qualifications for the advisory board work at the BKA and there is only one (!) woman among the seven persons you have newly appointed.

We would like to urge you to fulfill your responsibility as Minister for Art and Culture and to reconsider the new appointments by the next submission deadline on May 31. We would be happy to explain our position to you in a personal meeting.

Minister Blümel, fill the advisory board for film funding in the Federal Chancellery with qualified experts for innovative film and with equal gender representation!

Sincerely,
IG Film Culture
http://www.filmkultur.at

Source: https://mein.aufstehn.at/petitions/besetzung-des-beiratsbesetzung-der-bka-filmforderung